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The influence of social media on self-acceptance in queer youth

Nerlich, E. (2022) The influence of social media on self-acceptance in queer youth.

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Abstract:Self-acceptance is an important construct that has been shown to positively influence well-being in queer people, which face high rates of discrimination and mental health issues. Relevant in this context is social media, which has shown to provide queer youth with knowledge, representation, and support. This study investigates social media as an influence of self-acceptance, as well as the moderating effect of real-life social support, using Spearman correlation analyses and PROCESS moderator analyses. A differentiation was made between time spent on social media and exposure to queer content, e.g., in blog posts, videos, and art. 1144 participants on the queer spectrum were included in the analysis via a cross-sectional survey. A weak relationship was found between exposure to queer content as an aspect of social media and self-acceptance, which was slightly higher for transgender than for non-transgender participants. Additionally, real-life social support correlated with self-acceptance, but no moderating effect was found. This shows a potential of social media as positive influence on self-acceptance and general mental health in queer youth, as well as reinforcing the importance of social support.
Item Type:Essay (Bachelor)
Faculty:BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences
Subject:77 psychology
Programme:Psychology BSc (56604)
Link to this item:https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/91329
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